Summary of the EU Project GEISER on Induced Seismicity in Geothermal Engineering

GEISER was a European project on understanding and mitigation of induced seismicty in geothermal operations. The project involved several European research institutions as well as industry and was funded by the European Commission within FP7.

GEISER addressed a better understanding of the key parameters that control induced seismicity in response to an injection. Data from several events of induced seismicity were collected and analysed. Mechanical models were developed to understand the processes leading to induced seismicity and were combined with probabilistic seismic hazard assessment approaches to propose a new, physics based probabilistic forewarning system. This system requires the determination of a maximum acceptable seismic magnitude and its accepted probability of occurrence. The reliability of the dynamic model is based on the availability of rock physics and seismic data, with models updated from real-time monitoring. In addition to this new approach, a number of recommendations and guidelines for licensing authorities, developers and operators of geothermal projects are proposed.